The following is abridged from a statement by MUHAMMAD NAZAR, chairperson of the presidium board of the Aceh Referendum Information Centre (SIRA), to Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid, dated March 5.
Violence and human rights violations by the state, through its military, are still in progress in Aceh. Crimes against humanity and [military] opposition to the democratic movement are escalating.
Ever since the Acehnese Student and Youth Congress's call for a referendum [on whether Aceh should become independent] on February 4, 1999, the army has tried to use peculiar and illogical excuses so that the Acehnese people can be victimised. Various forms of intimidation, terror and kidnapping have been used against civilians wanting a referendum in Aceh.
An investigation team from SIRA has reported that civilians from various districts in Pidie, East Aceh and North Aceh are still being forced by the military to tear up pro-referendum banners. If they don't, civilians face threats of being beaten, tortured and shot.
SIRA has previously condemned similar intimidation aimed at eradicating pro-referendum symbols from the streets of West Aceh, South Aceh, Central Aceh and Aceh Singkil.
SIRA hereby declares that we condemn the state violence perpetrated by Indonesian armed forces and police. Their actions violate human rights, law and democracy, and can only worsen security and the break-up of the peace process in Aceh.
The central government and army should immediately stop their violent practices and intimidation of Acehnese civilians demanding a referendum.
Those Acehnese people demanding a referendum do not fight with military personnel, they just want [to show] their true aspirations through banners and symbols. They are fighting for a referendum through peaceful action and non-violence.
What has happened in Aceh since 1999 is similar to what occurred during the time of open military operations from 1989-1998 and is not so different to what happened in East Timor.
Calls for a referendum or for independence are not strange things, they are not against any law, either Islamic law or Indonesian law itself. In other countries, referendums are a common thing and are frequently used to make certain decisions.
Therefore, SIRA demands that the central government and its military power should stop being allergic to Acehnese demands for a referendum and independence.
Conducting a referendum should be promoted as a democratic solution to comprehensively resolve the humanitarian and political crisis in Aceh.
The central government and the military should not even dream of trying to win by intimidation, torture or killing. Violence, in any form, will never, ever defeat peaceful, democratic, and civilised people power.
[SIRA can be contacted at <sirareferendum@hotmail.com> or <referendumfor-aceh@usa.net>.]